Opinion

Goodbyes are never easy, but they are often necessary. This one is no different.

For those who may not know, I have received a promotion and will now serve as publisher and editor of the Central Kentucky News-Journal in Campbellsville. The CKNJ is owned by Landmark Community Newspapers, Inc., which also is the parent company of The Springfield Sun.

When I attend public meetings, I’m there as eyes and ears for the members of the public who do not attend. I’m not there to offer comments, or have reactions or show emotion to what takes place. That’s why I hope my jaw didn’t drop, as it felt like it did, when the Washington County School Board members did not second a motion for a proposed tax increase Friday evening.

Ghost stories are a childhood tradition that never fades around a hot summer night. Just the phrase “ghost stories” causes the neck hairs to rise up. This is especially so if you’ve ever met a master storyteller. I did once when I was about 4 years old. His name was Damian Warren of Springfield.
I’m 53 now, so four for me is almost half a century ago. It was a different time, and entertainment was hard to come by. You could read or go outside and play. My choices were narrowed down due to being illiterate.

“Lord, I want to thank you for my smokin’ hot wife…”
No, I didn’t say it! (My wife warned me if I prayed that publicly it might be my last prayer.) Those are the words of the Rev. Joe Nelms, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Lebanon, Tenn., praying at NASCAR’s Federated 300 Nationwide Series race in Nashville, on Saturday of last week. Pastor Nelms became an instant star on the Internet with comments about his prayer ranging from “the greatest prayer ever,” to “blasphemous.”
It is neither.

The Quaker State 400 was an event that I had been looking forward to for some time. It was the inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup race at the Kentucky Speedway. In my work as a sports photographer, I’ve attended races at several other tracks, but it was going to be different to have one in my back yard, just a short drive up Interstate 71.

It’s an irony of the modern age that the most devastating kind of sex scandal, at least for politicians, doesn’t involve actual sex. As Rep. Anthony Weiner has learned.
Weiner, who resigned Thursday, assured his own demise years ago when he began sending raunchy pictures and sex-talk messages to random women over the Internet. He would have been better off if he had arranged to meet those women for secret trysts — not that there’s any indication that the women had the slightest interest in meeting Weiner for such purposes.

Many Kentuckians are struggling in this economy, and I know they are frustrated by how hard it is just to stay above water. Home values are falling, automobile sales growth is at its lowest point this year, and manufacturing growth is at its lowest in nearly two years. One in ten Kentuckians are unemployed. And polls show most Americans remain pessimistic about a recovery.

I don’t want to alarm you or interrupt your daily Rep. Anthony Weiner twitter updates but while you were watching the jabs taken by the Democrats over Sarah Palin’s recount of Paul Revere’s famous ride and the Republicans rip Obama on any topic under the sun, we had a primary election in Kentucky.
It’s been almost a month now that the election took place but I thought it was probably a good idea to mention it since only around 10 percent of the voters even bothered to head to the polls in May.

A soul for a piece of bread. Misery makes the offer; society accepts.Quote from Les Miserables

I must sound like a broken record, but something really unique and breathtaking is happening down at the Opera House. I’m talking about the performances being put on by The Central Kentucky Community Theatre Group.

Oops, he missed it again — the date for the rapture, that is. But that’s OK. Miscalculating the date for the end times is nothing new for Harold Camping.
In 1992 he published his book, “1994?” in which he predicted Sept. 6, 1994, as the beginning of the end. Undeterred by that non-happening, Camping did some re-calculating and published another book in 2008, “We Are Almost There!” He conveniently forgot to mention his 1994 prediction’s failure to launch.

And so we talked all night about the rest of our lives; Where we’re gonna be when we turn 25
I keep thinking times will never change
Keep on thinking things will always be the same
Lyrics from “Graduation (Friends Forever)”

You ever hear of the above graduation song before?
I love it, yet it always leaves me a little sad.

I could have sworn my dog, Max, quietly napping on my left side, perked up when Diane Sawyer introduced the story about the Navy SEAL dogs on the evening news. Max’s brother, Baylor, with eyes half closed, was perched like a cat on the arm of the couch. But when Diane mentioned those heroic dogs, he snapped to attention, instantly turning his head in the direction of the television.
At least I thought he did.
My miniature Schnauzers are about as close to being Navy SEAL dogs as I am to being a Navy SEAL. But we three enjoyed the story anyway.

What is famous?
If you take Merriam-Webster’s word for it, the word famous means that a person is widely known, or honored for achievement.
If you take my word, famous has a whole new meaning, and it’s kind of sad.
I was working The Kentucky Derby this past Saturday, and the main reason I was there was to photograph the race for newspapers throughout the parent company of The Springfield Sun.

If you’re a student, you’ve had to learn how to write an essay or how to solve a math equation.
If you’re in the work force, you’ve had to learn skills for your job.
In my job, I had to learn how to take pictures and write (hopefully) compelling news and sports stories.
I was lucky enough to attend school to learn these skills from some of the finest professionals around the country, with some of the best equipment.

The State Senate adjourned Thursday night having signed the Senate Committee Substitute to House Bill 1, legislation to resolve the Medicaid budget shortfall. Without even a need for a conference committee, the bill passed the House of Representatives overwhelmingly with only two no votes.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
That’s the sound of time, and it’s running out, at least if you listen to the statements made by the Washington County Fire Protection Association’s leaders.
In last week’s issue of The Springfield Sun, the WCFPA was represented by John Goatley, who said in not so many words that he doesn’t see the deadline going away for his organiztion to stop providing fire protection to the citizens of Washington County who pay a $45 annual fee for that protection.

Bernard Smalley must have been really good last year because he found favor in Santa Claus. In fact, he came a little early for the coach.

Right before Christmas, the coach was looking at an 0-5 record. His team was getting outscored, on average, by 30 points.
The offense sputtered for 37 points a game. The defense was giving up 67 points a game. Things were not going well.
Fast forward to Saturday night. The scene is dramatically different, almost like a different season entirely.

It hurt at the time but later in life I enjoyed the benefit of my father’s height. Well, some of his height. I’ll never catch up to his 6-4 frame.
The St. Catharine College athletics program is also experiencing growth. Lucky for them, they are not experiencing any shin pain that I am aware of.
The local sports community is buzzing about SCC right now, and I look for that to increase as the athletics program expands.

“We are so happy to be alive. Life means a lot more today than yesterday,” said Panama City, Fla. school board member, Jerry Register, the day after deranged gunman, Clay Duke, opened fire on the school board and the school superintendent, William Husfelt.